Balochistan: Veteran commander of Baloch Liberation Army assassinated in Kahan

QUETTA: The spokesman of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Azad Baloch, in a statement to media said that one of its senior-most commanders has been shot and killed in the Bambore area of Kahan in Kohistan Marri region on 12 April 2021.

He termed the assassination of the veteran commander Balla Marri a conspiracy and said that the killer and those who order his murder have been identified.

The BLA honoured Commander Balla Marri alias Jalal with the title of ‘Sagaar-e-Baloch (the Sword of Baloch)’.  

‘It is the highest military Title of honour that has previously been given to only two fighters of BLA; Amir Bakhsh Langov and Mama Mando Marri,’ Azad Baloch said.

‘Shaheed Balla Marri was one of the few fighters of the current Baloch liberation struggle who had taken part in the Baloch freedom struggle in 1973 to resist the Pakistani military’s barbarism.

‘He remained steadfast and committed to the freedom movement from age of 16 until his martyrdom at the age of 66.’

Azad Baloch said that in the last 50 years Balla made selfless sacrifices for the Baloch independence movement and served the struggle with utmost sincerity, honesty and courage.

After the 1970s’ military attacks and Pakistani state terrorism in Balochistan Balla Marri was among thousands of Marri Baloch migrants who fled Balochistan for Afghanistan, he lived in Lashkar Gah, Helmand.

He provided unforgettable services for reorganising the Baloch liberation struggle and played a vital role in the formation of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) in the 1990s. Upon his return to Balochistan, he continued the freedom struggle until his martyrdom.

He bravely fought against the enemy on various fronts in Kohistan Marri and Bolan. ‘The role of Shaheed Balla Marri in organising the organisation will always be remembered.’

In several military operations, especially in 2016 and 2017, when the enemy army conducted airstrikes on BLA’s camps, Shaheed Balla Marri was wounded on several occasions while defending the organisation’s camps and his comrades.  

However, he preferred to fight on the battlefield with perseverance rather than succumb to physical hardships. His commitment to the struggle for freedom was such that in the last fifteen years, from 2006 till his martyrdom he hadn’t seen his family.

‘He continued to fulfil his national responsibility on the battlefield without any break. The BLA pays homage to him for his efforts and commitment. The role of Shaheed Balla Marri in the Baloch freedom struggle is a beacon for the Baloch youth,’ Azad Baloch said.

The BLA spokesman added that the killer of Balla Marri and the elements who order his assassination have been identified and his murder will be avenged.